Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-04-13
The Republicans and the Internal Revenue.

| The Valley Virginian's veluminous his
tory on the subject of Congress and the iu-
ternal revenue is simply waste of that pa
per's time and space. The Virgi7ian may
claim as much as it will that the Republi-
can party is in favor of the abolition of the
internal revenue or any part of it, its own
party has proved that its claims are utterly
groundless, and its attempt to shield its
party from the indignation of the people of
Virginia, North Carolina and other States
] is wholly futile. Whatever Republicans
/ may have promised or pretended is worth
less when weighed against their own acts.
When they had an opportunity to aid in
passing measure of relief to the people of
Virginia and North Carolina and other
States where tobacco is grown and spirits
are distilled, they positively refused to lend
helping hand. 1t required two-thirds
vote for suspension of the rules under
which the Henderson resolution could pass.
How did the Republicans vote?
FOR THE RESOLUTION.
fsepuoiicans-.'- .
AGAINST THE RESOLUTION.
Democrats
Republicans ..................... IUl
ing voted for it, but more than SO per cent.
or more than twenty-four-twenty-f -ffths vot-
ed for it. On the ether hand, more than 80
per cent. or more than twenty three twenty
fifths of the Republicans voting voted
against it.
The State Published on Friday Mr.. Hen
derson's reasons for the passage of the reso-
luton and his explanation of the merits of
the measure, which we commend to the at
tention of the Virg,nian. In the course of
his remarks Mr.. Henderson said of the bene-
fits to the tobacco growers that would result
from the passage of this measure:
"Sections 1 and 2 remove all restrictions
upon the sale of leaf tobacco by farmers,
and permit them to sell to any persons,
whether licensed dealers or not. Under the
existing law they can sell to none but
licensed dealers. This is a great hardship.
As rule the tobacco farmers are men of
limited means; they raise small crops, and
they lose much time and no little money in
getting their crops to good and lawful
market"
In reference to the relief given by this
measure to the distillers of spirits Mr.. Hen
derson said -
"Section 3 abolishes storekeepers at dis
tilleries which mash five bushels of grain
or less per day, and requires the tax on
spirits manufactured there to be levied and
collected on the capacity of said distilleries.
AS matter of fact, and the records show
it, these distlleries have never paid a greater
tax than upon the minimum capacity of said
distilleries. The stOrekeepers, therefore,
have never been of any real service to the
Government in. collecting its revenues
Section prohibits the destruction or mutt
lation of stills; and, in the same connection,
section II repeals the special taxes upon the
manufacturers of stills. There are no fea-
lures of the internal revenue system more
outrageous and detestable than the wanton
Cutting up or mutilation of stills, and
pouring the poor mans mash upon the
ground. Such property is seized and de-
stroyed by the revenue officers in spirit of
vindictive animosity, without apparent au-
thority of law, under rules promulgated by
the Treasury Department. And there has
never been any necessity to justify such
harsh measures. No good reason can be
given why such wanton and summary de-
struction and waste of property should net
be forbidden for the future"
As the Urginian has questioned the val
ue of the measure offered by Mr.. Hender-
son, measure supported by nearly all the
Democrats voting, but defeated by the
votes of nearly all the Republicans voting,
we publish this resolution in full to-day, so
that every may see for himself. Will the
| Virginian have the fairness to do the same
l I-RichmOnd State.